Originally Posted by Alchemist11

Lol sorry, in science we back up our arguments with citations by people smarter than ourselves.

I guess in social science you just say whatever you want regardless of how ridiculous the premise of your argument may be and get marks for it, eh?

My point was as follows:

Try to think of this scenario:

There's a third party who's holding the murderer's son and wife hostage.
The third party says "take this child, and kill him" or I'll kill your wife and son in the most brutal way possible.

Is the murderer still deserving of death?

Does he deserve to undergo torture (plus the jail time, plus the horror of killing an innocent child) because he wanted to save his wife and kids from their torture?

I feel bad for you because you seem to be clearly so into science and books that you can't make a point without sounding like you are trying to sound smart.

Originally Posted by jo87

I love when people quote books, it really shows you're connected to reality. Can you think of an intelligent quote on your own or do you really need an author to do it for you.

Having no logic shows you are connected to reality. Do you really need to think, or do you just want your emotions to do it for you?

Seriously, stupid logic is stupid. Because something bad has happened to you, doesn't give you the right to do something bad. That's the point of the justice system. Jus sayin.

I don't see the point of the insults whatsoever. No personal attacks guys, you should know this by now. Every person is entitled to his own opinion.
As for mine,
I'm totally empathetic with the father, especially regarding the horrible way his son died, let alone that he's 5 years old. Obviously, there's a lot of things missing that I don't know and I was never a parent so I wouldn't know how he feels, but that's not the best way to avenge. Not only will he get himself in jail, but maybe the jail time that the murderer spent is worse than dying. The years he spent in prison, the years of his life he'll never get back, how impossible it'll be for him to start his life all over again e.g. start his own family.. (even though he IS a murderer). That should be enough punishment for the father than merely killing the murderer and ending his "horrible" life that he's living. Isn't that the whole point of having laws?

my thoughts:
-The dad should not be threatening to kill the man. Not only does he put himself in a position to be arrested, it increases the likelihood that the criminal will get protection upon his release to society. Hard to enact any form of vengeance like that. He is being very counter-productive.
-The criminal should have gotten a life sentence. There is something seriously wrong with someone who kills a young boy at random and then eats his flesh. And seeing as the US prison system is clearly not going to provide him with the mental care he clearly needs, it is best that he just stays locked up.

Originally Posted by ~*Sara*~

I don't see the point of the insults whatsoever. No personal attacks guys, you should know this by now. Every person is entitled to his own opinion.
As for mine,
I'm totally empathetic with the father, especially regarding the horrible way his son died, let alone that he's 5 years old. Obviously, there's a lot of things missing that I don't know and I was never a parent so I wouldn't know how he feels, but that's not the best way to avenge. Not only will he get himself in jail, but maybe the jail time that the murderer spent is worse than dying. The years he spent in prison, the years of his life he'll never get back, how impossible it'll be for him to start his life all over again e.g. start his own family.. (even though he IS a murderer). That should be enough punishment for the father than merely killing the murderer and ending his "horrible" life that he's living. Isn't that the whole point of having laws?

It's just the whole problem in this case is that he killed a young boy who had his whole life ahead of him, and now we are going to release the pyscho into freedom. Even with restrictions he is free while the boy is dead and lost his entire life for no good reason. I don't really believe justice gets served anytime a killer is given freedom outside jail. The justice system should work well enough so family members don't have to be in the situation this father is in.

Originally Posted by jo87

I feel bad for you because you seem to be clearly so into science and books that you can't make a point without sounding like you are trying to sound smart.

EDIT: Eh, **** it. I'll pass on commenting this time.

Dam this guy needs to relax and look at the other millions of sperm he still has.

I think the father should move on.
vengence is an idiotic concept

Biggest issue here is that this guy is getting released. Next point, being in jail is far worse than being dead. People like this deserve to spend their lives rotting away in some hell hole. None of this tax-payer paid food, clothing and other crap bull.
As for the dad..I feel for him. I can't judge his emotions without the experience to be able to understand them. But unless he follows through..I'd say he's totally justified in feeling the way he does. If he follows through that's an entirely different debate, and I think would really concern the failure of our justice system to have prevented the murderer from getting out in the first place.

Being dead is never greater than being alive... what the hell is wrong with you to think otherwise.

I suppose it depends on your views of an afterlife, but imo, death is death. There is nothing anymore, and you are completely unaware of it/anything because you cease to exist.
Living trapped in a cell suffering or the rest of your life..that is a punishment. Just you and your mind spending years with absolute nothing. On the other hand, killing you releases you and gives the freedom of not existing anymore.
At least, that's how I feel.

Originally Posted by crazyfree

I suppose it depends on your views of an afterlife, but imo, death is death. There is nothing anymore, and you are completely unaware of it/anything because you cease to exist.
Living trapped in a cell suffering or the rest of your life..that is a punishment. Just you and your mind spending years with absolute nothing. On the other hand, killing you releases you and gives the freedom of not existing anymore.
At least, that's how I feel.

Suffering? You get food, water, entertainment (albeit minimal), socialization, visitation in most cases...

Yea, that's so much worse than not existing anymore.

If "death is just death," then lose the outrage about a kid being murdered.

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Suffering? You get food, water, entertainment (albeit minimal), socialization, visitation in most cases...

Yea, that's so much worse than not existing anymore.

If "death is just death," then lose the outrage about a kid being murdered.

Like I said in my initial post, I think the entertainment, well fed, water, visitation etc. is crap. Jail should be punishment, not Hotel California.

For the kid, I sympathize with the father-regardless of what happens to the child afterwards(it all depends on your personal views) he has still lost something, and he mourns for what that child could have been.

I may not have been clear, I'm not saying death is nothing. I'm saying intense suffering through your life is worse than death.
Much like a terminally ill patient will often wish for their life to end sooner rather than later when their pain becomes to intense.

What's horrible about the child's death is that he could have been something, and lived a wonderful life. And that was taken from him.

Originally Posted by crazyfree

What's horrible about the child's death is that he could have been something, and lived a wonderful life. And that was taken from him.

He also could have lived a mediocre life, or lead a terrible life.. I don't get it when people talk about 'potential' in people. Either way... cannibal man..., what the heck...

He should chop his whole body off.